Special Education

Madison County School System is committed to providing a high-quality, inclusive education for all students, including those with disabilities. Our Special Education Department ensures that eligible students, ages 3–21, receive individualized instruction and support services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The program includes a range of services tailored to meet diverse learning needs, such as:

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Speech-language therapy
Occupational and physical therapy
Adapted Physical Education
Hearing and Vision Services
Specialized academic instruction
Behavioral intervention supports
Transition planning and services for post-secondary success

We collaborate with families, general educators, and specialists to ensure that every student receives access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Our goal is to empower all students to achieve their potential, develop independence, and become productive members of their communities

Child Find

What is Child Find?

Child Find is a statewide effort by the Alabama State Department of Education and the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities from birth to age 21. School systems have an affirmative obligation to locate, identify, and evaluate children who have or may have a disability. School systems use the referral process to fulfill this obligation.

How does Child Find Work?

Early Intervention and Special Education Services work closely with community service agencies, parents and local school systems to locate children with disabilities. A toll-free number is provided for parents or other persons interested in information about referring a child aged birth to 21.

Why is Child Find Important?

Child Find helps the child, the family and the provider to plan appropriate services and link families to services for students meeting eligibility requirements in the following areas:

Hearing Impairment
Deaf-Blindness
Intellectual Disability
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairment
Emotional Disability
Speech and Language Impairment
Visual Impairment
Specific Learning Disabilities
Autism
Traumatic Brain Injury
Developmental Delay

For more information about Child Find or if you would like to speak with someone regarding a suspected disability, contact Tausha Knight, Director for Special Education for Madison County Schools 256.852.7073.

Services for children aged from birth to age 3 are identified through the Early Intervention Program. For information about these services, contact Wendy Pittard at 256.650.1727 or Jackie Criswell at 256.650.1723. You can also contact the toll-free number 1.800.543.3098.

Special Olympics

Special Olympics provides year-round athletic training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people with intellectual disabilities who are at least eight years old. Special Olympics gives people continuing opportunities to: improve physical fitness; demonstrate courage; experience joy; and develop and share their gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, friends, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. There is no maximum age limit for participation in Special Olympics.

If parents would like their child to participate, they should contact the special education teacher at the local school or the special education department at the Teacher Resource Center. Currently, students can participate in bowling, swimming, golf, track and field, horseback riding, ice skating, and powerlifting (age 16 and up.)

To qualify for Special Olympics, a child must be at least 8 years old and have an exceptionality of Intellectual Disability. In order to participate in Special Olympics, all eligible persons must be properly registered. The Application for Participation in Special Olympics form must be completed by a physician and resubmitted or recertified every three years. The Official Special Olympics Release Form must be completed only once. The forms may be obtained from the special education teacher at the student’s school.

Tausha Knight
Director of Special Services
tknight@mcssk12.org
Ext. 62256

Special Olympics

Developmental Preschool

Developmental Pre-K

The Developmental Preschool Program provides specialized instruction and related services to improve kindergarten readiness skills for eligible students ages three through five. Children served in this program exhibit a significant delay in one or more of the following areas: cognition and problem solving; motor skills; communication; self-help; social emotional; and behavior. For information about developmental Pre-K contact, please contact the Special Education Preschool Team at 256.852.2557 ext. 62240 or email spedprek@madison.k12.al.us.

Contact Us

Special Education Preschool Team
Call: 256.852.2557 ext. 62240 Email: spedprek@madison.k12.al.us.

Gifted

The Academic and Creative Enrichment (ACE) program provides pull-out enrichment services to elementary students identified as GT. ACE enrichment programming is thematic and multidisciplinary in nature, and its content, process, product, and learning environment are administered differently than those within general education studies. Students are encouraged to develop independent and self-directed study skills, higher level thinking skills, and products that use new techniques or expand existing ideas. Middle school and high school GT and high achieving students’ needs are addressed through a choice of advanced level classes, enrichment classes, extra-curricular activities, and dual enrollment where available.
Alabama’s definition of giftedness and its referral process can be found in the Alabama Administrative Code beginning on page 571. Please refer to the MCSS GT Procedures, ALSDE GT Page, and ALSDE GT Help Document for answers, and to the gifted teacher at your child's school.

Resources

Department Administrators

Main Contact

Tausha Knigt
Director of Special Education
tknight@mcssk12.org
256-852-2557 ext. 62256

To request copies of Special Education records, please contact:

Tammy Massa
Administrative Assistant to the Director of Special Education
tmassa@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62220

Special Education Resource Specialists

Morgan Conway
Lead School Psychologist
mconway@mcssk12.org
256-852-2557 ext. 62240

Andrea Felts
Special Education Resource Specialist
afelts@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62225

Robyn Oldacre
Special Education Resource Specialist
roldacre@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62231

Regan Crane
SLP / Assistive Technology Specialist
rcrane@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62229

Dr. DeAnna Hanks
Coordinator of Special Education
dlhanks@mcssk12.org
ext.

Cassie Parsons
Special Education Resource Specialist
cparsons@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62235

Andrea Datson
Special Education Resource Specialist
adatson@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62224

Jenny McAlister
Developmental PreK Specialist
jmcalister@madison.k12.al.us
256-852-2557 ext. 62260

In This Section

Special Education

Child Find

Special Olympics

Developmental Preschool

Developmental Pre-K

Contact Us

Gifted

Resources

Community Services and Vocational Programs

Department Administrators

Main Contact

To request copies of Special Education records, please contact:

Special Education Resource Specialists

Links & Resources

Parents & Students